Rear Hub nuts

hunter · Post by **hunter** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 4:32 pm

I want to take my rear hubs off.

Do the nuts loosen as normal (clockwise = tight / anticlockwise = loose)
or is one of them a contra-rotating nut (ie comes off the other way)

Whats the best way to loosen these?

Handbrake on/car in gear
Breaker bar & scaffold pole?

Thanks

Nick Moss · Post by **Nick Moss** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 7:42 pm

They are the normal thread, so undo anticlockwise. They are torqued to 250 Lbft so need a very long bar to undo. I use a 2 metre bar with another long bar with a flattened end locking the wheel studs against the floor.

hunter · Post by **hunter** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 10:41 pm

Cheers Nick

Alan @ CanfordClassics · Mon Feb 11, 2008 11:07 pm

Or if you have a good compressor and correct tools, ie a windy gun, just windy them off.

Alan

hunter · Post by **hunter** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 9:43 am

I've got a 100psi comp - what would be the cost of a gun decent enough to do the job?

Is 100psi enough?

If not its a BIG BAR

Nige · Post by **Nige** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 10:08 am

Else a chunky 3/4 drive bar and socket, sit in front of the hub with one foot on the socket and belt the end of the bar with a good size lump hammer. Done the trick many a time for me. Obviously watch you fingers, bodywork and toes.

Always work for me on the VWs, but then it had wide 5 stud rims so you could access the nut with the wheel on. Keeping the hub from spinning around is the main problem whatever you do.

impmad2000 · Post by **impmad2000** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 10:29 am

I had already removed the arms off my car when I wanted to do this, so just took them up to the local garage at around lunch time

. They had them off in seconds.
Tim

hunter · Post by **hunter** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 12:05 pm

3/4 bar?

I already have a socket and breaker but they are both 1/2".

Do you think this will be ok?

Was thinking 600mm 1/2" breaker bar with scaffold pole - and er.. see what happens.

Nige · Post by **Nige** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 12:12 pm

Depends what brand/quality your 1/2" bar is. I bent/snapped two average brand 1/2" breaker bars doing with the long pole method. Nearly did myself a mischief in the process.

58A - 71E · Post by **58A - 71E** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 12:33 pm

Nige wrote:Depends what brand/quality your 1/2" bar is. I bent/snapped two average brand 1/2" breaker bars doing with the long pole method. Nearly did myself a mischief in the process.

Yep same here, upgraded to 3/4" - worked a treat

hot66 · Post by **hot66** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 1:08 pm

I used to always snap / shear 1/2" bars on my V-dubs. I now have a loverly 3/4" bar

Nige · Post by **Nige** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 1:11 pm

when it comes to cracking hub nuts, SIZE matters.

my 3/4 bar is only some Clarke or Laser jobby, its certainly took plenty of hammer and its been lent out a fair few times too.

hunter · Post by **hunter** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 7:20 pm

Ok so 3/4 it is then.

Will i be better off with a flexi knuckle type bar or the t-bar type?

hot66 · Post by **hot66** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 7:24 pm

With a T bar you can swing on it with a scaffold bar without worry of it failing

hunter · Post by **hunter** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 10:34 am

Thats just what i was thinking james.

Will go that route

Cheers all